Planning the movements of trains in a network is by no means an easy task. In this context, the detailed routing and scheduling of trains on tracks and other resources must be planned, and this must be done while respecting numerous side aspects and constraints. To mention a few, there are mandatory maintenance activities of trains depending on their usage, the shunting of cars (including the coupling/decoupling of trains to longer convoys), complex platform assignment problems, and movements through a network of track-groups.
EURO/ROADEF Challenge 2014
In 2013-2014, the EURO/ROADEF Challenge introduced a train routing/ scheduling problem to the scientific community, and we did contribute to this implementation competition with some ideas and implementations. Our concept ranked first in the qualification phase, and third in the finals.
The key idea consists of a multi-attribute assignment rule, assigning incoming convoys/ trains to given departures. On this basis, the subsequent routing and scheduling of the vehicles is planned within the given system (which consists of a complex network of platforms, track-groups, maintenance facilities, and yards). Due to the intelligence of the tailored assignment rule, only few assignments are tested, but still qualitatively good results are obtained.
A detailed description/ analysis of our work, including the source code of the contribution to the qualification phase are available to the public.
Related key publications
Martin Josef Geiger, Sandra Huber, Sebastian Langton, Marius Leschik, Christian Lindorf and Ulrich Tüshaus:
Multi-attribute assignment of trains to departures in rolling stock management – A contribution to the EURO/ROADEF 2014 Challenge.
Annals of Operations Research, Volume 271, Issue 2, December 2018, Pages 1131–1163.
[doi:10.1007/s10479-017-2501-8]
Martin Josef Geiger:
ROADEF/EURO Challenge 2014 – Source code of the qualification phase.
[doi:10.17632/nc642wfw2k.1]
Letzte Änderung: 30. November 2018